By Lanre Shodimu
ie Dry/Wet Season Programme and the Renewed Hope Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (RH-GEEP 3.0), as part of its renewed commitment towards national social investment programme.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, spoke in Abuja during the launch of the social investment schemes which was held at the instance of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA), disclosed that over 20,000 farmers in 774 Local Government Areas across the country are to benefit from the first phase of the FarmerMonie scheme.
Under the arrangement, the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) is to disburse interest-free loans of up to ₦300,000 to smallholder farmers, helping them access seeds, fertilizers, equipment, and other essential inputs.
The scheme was designed to strengthen smallholder farmers, increase productivity, and empower farmers to thrive, with a 3-month moratorium before repayment to various beneficiaries, including women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
While reiterating the present administration’s resolve towards “building a nation where every Citizen has the opportunity to thrive, the Minister who argued that the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration is more than a slogan; maintained that “it is a promise to restore dignity, expand opportunity, and ensure that no Nigerian is left behind.
“Through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, we are opening doors for small businesses, artisans, and traders to access financial support that will enable them to grow, create jobs, and contribute to our national prosperity. This is financial inclusion in action, bringing the underserved into the economic mainstream.
“Equally, the Farmer Monie Dry/Wet Season Programme is a bold step toward strengthening our agricultural sector. By empowering farmers with resources and support across both planting cycles, we are not only boosting food security but also ensuring that agriculture remains a viable pathway out of poverty.
“Our farmers are the backbone of our economy, and today we stand with them, investing in their resilience and productivity. These programmes are designed with one clear objective: poverty reduction through empowerment.
“We recognise that true humanitarian service is not just about providing relief in times of need, but about creating sustainable opportunities that uplift communities and transform lives. By supporting small businesses and farmers, we are laying the foundation for inclusive growth and shared prosperity.”
Regarding the implementation of the conditional cash transfer, the Minister disclosed that no fewer than 9.3 million households have benefited from the scheme, just as he reiterated plans to extend the CCT to 16 million before the end of 2026.
Federal Government on Wednesday, formally launched Farmer Monie Dry/Wet Season Programme and the Renewed Hope Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (RH-GEEP 3.0), as part of its renewed commitment towards national social investment programme.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, who spoke in Abuja during the launch of the social investment schemes held at the instance of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA), disclosed that over 20,000 farmers in 774 Local Government Areas across the country are to benefit from the first phase of the FarmerMonie scheme.
Under the arrangement, the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) is to disburse interest-free loans of up to ₦300,000 to smallholder farmers, helping them access seeds, fertilizers, equipment, and other essential inputs.
The scheme was designed to strengthen smallholder farmers, increase productivity, and empower farmers to thrive, with a 3-month moratorium before repayment to various beneficiaries, including women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
While reiterating the present administration’s resolve towards “building a nation where every Citizen has the opportunity to thrive, the Minister who argued that the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration is more than a slogan; maintained that “it is a promise to restore dignity, expand opportunity, and ensure that no Nigerian is left behind.
“Through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, we are opening doors for small businesses, artisans, and traders to access financial support that will enable them to grow, create jobs, and contribute to our national prosperity. This is financial inclusion in action, bringing the underserved into the economic mainstream.
“Equally, the Farmer Monie Dry/Wet Season Programme is a bold step toward strengthening our agricultural sector. By empowering farmers with resources and support across both planting cycles, we are not only boosting food security but also ensuring that agriculture remains a viable pathway out of poverty.
“Our farmers are the backbone of our economy, and today we stand with them, investing in their resilience and productivity. These programmes are designed with one clear objective: poverty reduction through empowerment.
“We recognise that true humanitarian service is not just about providing relief in times of need, but about creating sustainable opportunities that uplift communities and transform lives. By supporting small businesses and farmers, we are laying the foundation for inclusive growth and shared prosperity.”
Speaking on the implementation of the conditional cash transfer, the Minister disclosed that no fewer than 9.3 million households have benefited from the scheme, just as he reiterated plans to extend the CCT to 16 million before the end of 2026.
He said: “We have given out conditional cash transfers to 9.3 million households, vulnerable households. And if you take an average, or we multiply that, because a household has about four to five people.
“So if you multiply four by 9.3, it gives you over 30 million. So that is the figure we said, and this was paid through the National Social Register. And that was the information we gave at the time.”
In his address, NSIPA Acting National Coordinator, Associate Professor Badamasi Lawah, noted that the launch represents the Federal Government’s commitment to place economic empowerment, financial inclusion, and productive livelihoods at the centre of national development.
“These initiatives are firmly aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes inclusive growth, social protection, and sustainable prosperity for all Nigerians.
RHGEEP 3.0 is designed as a strategic intervention to strengthen micro, small, and informal enterprises—the backbone of our economy.
Across Nigeria, millions of hardworking citizens operate small businesses that sustain families, communities, and local markets. Through this programme, the government is providing structured access to finance, enterprise support, and digital inclusion, enabling beneficiaries to grow their businesses, build resilience, and contribute meaningfully to economic development.
In the same vein, the FarmerMonie Dry and Wet Season Programme underscores our recognition of agriculture as a critical driver of food security, employment, and rural development. By supporting farmers across both planting seasons, this initiative ensures continuity in production, mitigates seasonal vulnerabilities, and enhances income stability for our farmers. It is a practical response to the realities faced by smallholder farmers and a clear signal that government support does not stop at policy declarations but extends to real, timely interventions.”
He assured that the Agency’s approach emphasizes transparency, accountability, and impact, ensuring that resources reach the intended beneficiaries and deliver measurable outcomes.
On his part, GEEP National Programme Manager, Hon. Hamza Ibrahim Baba, disclosed that the FarmerMonie portal under the GEEP scheme will be open today.
He said: “We’re expecting that from today our portal will be open for farmers, eligible farmers, to go and register to access our loans, and these loans are interest-free and collateral-free. The total sum is the economic production of each farming activity. So we are targeting the vulnerable, poor farmers at the grassroots.
“This programme is not for big farmers. Those farmers that are doing it in acres, and probably those that are doing it in very rural areas, are doing it in a very subsistence level.”
Speaking on the requirements for farmers to access this platform, Hon. Baba said: “First of all, you have to be a Nigerian. You have to be above 18 years of age. You must own land or rent land. So you have to be already into farming activity. We’re not looking for new farmers. And then you have to have a bank account, a NIN, and a means of identification. And you must belong to a farming cooperative or association in your local government.
“This programme covers the 774 local governments in Nigeria. Each local government will not be left behind. And we have, at the state level, our state programme managers who are working with our enumerators, who are working with the banks, who are working with the fintech recovery agents, who will be working with the agricultural development project and all farmer associations in each of the 37 states of the federation.
“We are targeting more than 22,000 farmers for this space. As we finish this space, we are going to the next space. We are looking at least 28 farmers per local government. That’s what we are targeting. We have other schemes like TraderMoni and MarketMoni. This TraderMoni is meant for artisans, petty traders who are making a living, doing their trading in our markets, and then market women.
“So, in addition to the FarmerMoni That is the next step. This particular scheme is for the wet/ rainy season that we are entering. So we are hoping that, by latest, by end of March, they will be able to get these funds to start funding their farming activities.”
While assuring that the schemes will not be hijacked by politicians, Hon. Baba said: “looking at the mechanisms we put in place, the registration, the digitization, verification, and also these farmers coming through Farmers Association of Nigeria, I doubt if any farmer will benefit, if that farmer is not a real farmer.”
Also speaking, Head of Partnerships for Wema Bank, Mr. Timileyin Obisesan, expressed excitement about the partnership in the implementation of the schemes.
He said: “We are very glad to be part of the GEEP 3.0 program, which aims to empower farmers across various parts of Nigeria.
“We’re disposing funds to farmers to help them grow better and to serve Nigeria better in this season.
According to him, the “bank will be disbursing about 300,000 to a number of farmers that will be given to us. So that number will be determined by the organizers. And that communication will be made public.”
In the bid to ensure recovery of the fund, he assured that the bank has put necessary measures in place to ensure compliance, saying: “That’s why banks are also involved, to ensure that the funds get to the people it is meant to get to.
“And that’s why things around BVN, NIN, digital identity will be taken into consideration. So the bank is not just distributing money anyhow. But we have to validate the identity of each person that we are giving the money to before the money gets to them.”
In the bid to reach out to farmers in the hinterlands, he assured that the bank has trained staff, agents, and other officers that will engage with farmers in those rural areas.
